Russell Martin has survived another day as Rangers manager.

On Saturday, the Gers reached the League Cup quarter-finals, managing to win 2-0 at Ibrox, although a Glasgow derby at Hampden on 2 November is probably far from what they need right now.

The question though still remains; will Martin be in charge by then?

Well, to avoid becoming the shortest-serving permanent manager in Rangers’ history, breaking Pedro Caixinha’s record, Martin would still need to be at the helm for the visit of Braga in the Europa League on 27 November, which appears unlikely considering he is yet to win a Premiership match in five attempts, leaving them second-bottom, ahead of Sunday’s trip to Almondvale.

Thus, surely 49ers Enterprises, who took over the club in the summer, are considering potential replacements, so a future “elite manager” should be top of their wish list, not the obvious front-runners.

The favourites to replace Russell Martin at Rangers

Ever since it became clear that Martin was not going to last particularly long in Govan, amid widespread protests against him and chief executive officer Patrick Stewart present throughout the weekend win over Hibs, two obvious front-runners have emerged, both with Merseyside connections.

Steven Gerrard would be the populist choice, with many supporters wanting to see him return to Ibrox, having managed the club for 194 matches between 2018 and 2021, re-establishing Rangers as a force in European football, as well as leading them to their sole Premiership title since 2011, stopping Celtic’s pursuit of ten-in-a-row.

A key figure in Gerrard’s success in Glasgow was then-assistant Michael Beale, who returned to Ibrox as manager himself in 2022, lasting just 43 matches before being hounded out.

The pair did briefly reunite in Saudi Arabia, working together at Al-Ettifaq before Gerrard was unceremoniously sacked in January, so could the 49ers get the band back together?

The other leading candidate is Sean Dyche, who has also been out of work since January, dismissed by Everton earlier this year.

Having taken charge of 557 games as a manager, of which 332 have come in the Premier League, the former Burnley boss is surely one of the most experienced coaches Rangers could attract, and he has proven himself adept at getting the best out of whatever he has to work with, something the current occupant of the Ibrox hot seat certainly is not doing.

However, rather than playing it safe, Rangers should be bold and appoint a future “elite manager” who is currently out of work.

Rangers' dream Russell Martin successor

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Jordi Cruijff, son of the legendary Johan, asserted that “all the best managers were midfielders”, a claim supported by a study from The Athletic, which found that ‘almost half of coaches with a professional playing background were midfielders’.

Well, a man looking to reinforce that stereotype is Michael Carrick – formerly tipped to replace Gerrard in the hot seat by Charlie Adam back in 2021.

After spending 12 years at Manchester United as a player, he retired in 2018 and worked under José Mourinho and then Ole Gunnar Solskjær as an assistant coach, placed in interim charge for three matches in 2021, overseeing victories over Villarreal and Arsenal, as well as a draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

After leaving Old Trafford, Carrick returned to the North East, where he was born and raised, appointed Middlesbrough manager in October 2024.

As the table below documents, his time on Teeside was generally pretty successful.

Carrick @ Middlesbrough
Statistics	Carrick
Matches	136
Wins	63
Draws	24
Defeats	49
Goals scored	220
Goals conceded	177
22/23 league finish	4th
23/24 league finish	8th
24/25 league finish	10th
Best EFL Cup run	Semis
Stats via Transfermarkt

As outlined by the table, Carrick led Boro into the Championship play-offs in his first season, having taken over with the side 21st, before they were beaten 1-0 by Coventry City in the semi-finals.

He also guided them to the EFL Cup semi-finals, actually defeating Chelsea 1-0 in the first leg at the Riverside, but eighth and then tenth place finishes in the Championship saw him sacked and replaced by Rob Edwards during the summer, who has made a flying start in fairness, with Middlesbrough currently top of the table.

Nevertheless, Carrick earned plenty of praise, labelled a future “elite manager” by one analyst, while Jack Manship of Total Football Analysis was impressed by his ‘eye-catching’ brand of football, praising Boro’s ‘organisation’ and ability to attack quickly.

Meantime, Solskjær has backed Carrick to be a future Manchester United manager one day, describing him as a “winner”, forecasting he will be a top-class coach in the near future.

Thus, while Carrick is out of work, Rangers should surely do everything they can to convince him to take over in Glasgow, successfully taking a chance on Gerrard back in 2018, even more of a rookie himself at the time, so a young coach with fresh ideas is surely exactly what they need.

Imagine him & Raskin: Rangers must rue selling £6m "left-footed Yaya Toure"

As Nicolas Raskin underlines his importance at Rangers, imagine him alongside the “left-footed Yaya Touré” sold for £6m by Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

By
Ben Gray

Sep 24, 2025

Warwickshire and Somerset are heading for a Rothesay County Championship draw at Edgbaston after the home side narrowly avoided the follow on on the third day.In reply to 498, Warwickshire were bowled out for 351, achieving the 349 follow on figure with just two wickets to spare. Alex Davies hit 78 (186 balls), Sam Hain 78 (170) and Tom Latham 65 (158) but, on a very good batting pitch, nobody else reached 30 against a Somerset attack which kept the pressure high, led by skipper Craig Overton (four for 61).Somerset closed the third day on 116 for 3, 263 ahead overall, a commanding position but unlikely to be a winning one on a batter-friendly pitch which is not deteriorating.Somerset’s seamers opened up superbly after Warwickshire resumed on the third morning on 158 for 1. Matt Henry bottled up fellow Kiwi Latham with a sequence of maidens before, still to add to his overnight score, Latham drove at one that nipped away and edged to wicketkeeper James Rew. Five overs, and just six runs, later, Davies perished when he edged Overton to slip where Tom Kohler-Cadmore took a fine catch, low to his right.Jacob Bethell, promoted to four, batted solidly until the stroke of lunch when he bottom-edged a pull at Overton to Rew. The wicketkeeper collected again shortly after the interval when Ed Barnard edged an injudicious drive at Overton and self-flagellated all the way back to the pavilion.As Warwickshire wobbled to 235 for 5, Somerset had all the more reason to regret their recklessness with the bat on the second afternoon. A follow on figure of 550 would have put the home side under pressure but 349 was within reach albeit, it transpired, only just.Kai Smith and an increasingly expansive Hain added 66, Hain passing 50 from 133 balls and celebrating with two straight sixes in an over from Jack Leach.Smith supplied Rew’s fifth catch with a leg-side tickle off Overton and when, in the final over before tea, Hain edged Leach to slip, Warwickshire were still 32 short of the follow on figure with three wickets left.Corey Rocchiccioli responded aggressively with 28 from 31 balls but pulled Migael Pretorius to long leg with ten still required. Tense moments followed for the home side until Ethan Bamber reverse-swept Leach for four to avert the follow on and pretty much sentence the match to a draw. Bamber and Che Simmons both soon fell playing the forward defensive, Simmons bowled by Archie Vaughan and Bamber lbw to Leach.Somerset’s second innings started with a couple of jolts when both openers fell in the first eight overs. Kohler-Cadmore lifted Bamber to mid off and Josh Davey’s off-stump paid a high price for his decision to play back to Olly Hannon-Dalby.Tom Lammonby and James Rew added 83 before the former (33, 46) lifted Rocchiccioli to midwicket to squander the opportunity of reaching a third century in successive championship innings tomorrow.

Liverpool have been warned that Florian Wirtz could leave in January, as Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso is keeping tabs on his former Bayer Leverkusen apprentice. The German arrived at Anfield amid huge fanfare this summer for a staggering £116 million ($153m). The 22-year-old was supposed to be the creative spark to define Arne Slot’s new era. But ten games into his English journey, the German wonderkid is already under the microscope for his ordinary performances, and the pressure is mounting fast.

• From Bundesliga glory to Merseyside misery

  Wirtz is facing the toughest test of his young career, with warnings coming thick and fast that his Premier League adventure could be cut short and a stunning reunion with Alonso at Real Madrid may be on the horizon. When the Spanish manager took over Bayer Leverkusen in 2022, Wirtz was still recovering from a serious cruciate ligament injury. Under the Spaniard’s guidance, he transformed into one of Europe’s most electrifying midfielders who could turn any game on its head. His numbers spoke volumes: 18 goals in his first full season under Alonso, followed by another 16 in the next, driving Leverkusen to a historic Bundesliga title and halting Bayern Munich’s dominance. 

  But since landing in Merseyside, things haven’t clicked. Despite flashes of his magic, including two dazzling assists in Liverpool’s 5-1 Champions League demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt, Wirtz has struggled for rhythm in the unforgiving world of English football. Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Brentford summed up his situation as he was hauled off late in the game after another ordinary performance. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Hamann warns Real Madrid may come calling

  Former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann has now issued a startling warning suggesting that Wirtz could find himself loaned out to Real Madrid as early as January to rediscover his confidence.

  Speaking in an interview withhe said: "Top players didn't get loaned in the past. A loan was for players who didn't get a game, but the top players didn't get loaned. It probably started with Philippe Coutinho a few years ago, when he went for 140 million or something to Barcelona. And a year later he was loaned out to Bayern Munich.

  "I wouldn't rule anything out in today's world, especially in football. It's been reported that Xabi Alonso has asked Real Madrid to keep an eye on Florian Wirtz’ performances and what he does at Liverpool, I reckon it could be true. Because we know how fondly he talks of him. He was the reason they won the league, they won the cup. He was the heartbeat of the Bayer Leverkusen team with Granit Xhaka, and yeah, they keep an eye on him. He's too good to fail at Liverpool, but it's been about 10 games now. You can never rule anything out."

  Taking cue from examples from his time as a player, Hamann added, "In my time, Juan Sebastian Veron came to Manchester United as potentially the best midfielder at the time. He lasted one season. So you can never rule anything out. It'll depend on what happens in the next few weeks. But as I said, at the moment I wouldn't rule anything out, and if Real Madrid are keeping an eye on him, it could happen."

• Hamann lauds Wirtz's courage for choosing Liverpool over Bayern

  Hamann also reflected on the choices that brought Wirtz to Liverpool, suggesting that a more straightforward route to glory might have been available if he had signed for Bayern Munich.

  "Wirtz could’ve had success at Bayern, but I liked that he didn't choose the easy way; he could have gone to Bayern, won the league, and perhaps played a decent role in the Champions League," he said. "If he had gone to Munich, I think it would have given them a better chance to be successful in the Champions League, even though they are doing well at the moment. He's a tough kid, and as I said, one or two games can make all the difference. I still haven't given up."

  While Hamann’s assessment was laced with caution, another former star, Dimitar Berbatov, offered a very different view. Speaking on Presents, the ex-Manchester United striker, who also made the jump from Leverkusen to England in 2006, urged patience and faith in the young midfielder.

  "I love him. He’s a fantastic player," he said. "He will be unbelievable, trust me. Hopefully, he will be patient. Hopefully, he’ll have good people around him, agent, family, whatever. Hopefully, the coach sees his quality like everybody sees him. I’m sure that everybody sees his quality, and they’ll give him that time that he needs to fit into the team. And I guarantee you, he’s going to be a success."

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  Can Wirtz turn it around?

  For Slot, patience is wearing thin. After a flying start to the campaign, where they picked up seven straight wins that had fans dreaming of another title push, Liverpool’s form has nose-dived. The Liverpool boss knows that restoring confidence in Wirtz could hold the key to turning the season around. After being dumped out of the Carabao Cup, the Reds face a testing Premier League clash against Aston Villa, followed by a blockbuster Champions League showdown with Real Madrid, the very club that could soon come calling for their faltering star.

For some, a shirt number may seem arbitrary, although it is hard to ignore the status and significance of the number seven at Manchester United, having become synonymous with the club’s brightest and best.

From Eric Cantona, to David Beckham, to Cristiano Ronaldo, the Red Devils enjoyed a glittering 17-year period in the Premier League in which that shirt had a rightful home, with all three wearing it with distinction.

In the 16 years since Ronaldo’s exit for Real Madrid, however, the No.7 has become something of a poisoned chalice, a cursed offering for a string of new signings who have all flattered to deceive.

Its current incumbent, Mason Mount, has notably scored just five goals during an injury-hit two-year spell at Old Trafford, with questions likely to be asked over whether the Englishman was worthy of such an honour in the first place.

Talented, but undoubtedly unreliable due to his repeated stints on the treatment table, Mount could well benefit from relieving that burden and pressure on himself, with Ruben Amorim perhaps already having the perfect successor lined up.

Man Utd's post-Ronaldo number seven curse

Have United ever truly recovered from the summer of 2009? Out went Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, with Sir Alex Ferguson securing Gabriel Obertan, Antonio Valencia and an ageing Michael Owen as their replacements.

That significant drop in quality perhaps epitomises the malaise that has set in during the much-maligned Glazer regime, with initial success post-Ronaldo having quickly been extinguished in the years following Ferguson’s retirement.

To have gone from the Portuguese sensation to that man Owen as the club’s new no.7 remains a real headscratcher, with the former England international – that Manchester derby goal aside – proving something of a forgotten figure at Old Trafford.

The mantle was subsequently passed on to Valencia for 2012/13, although the Ecuadorian swiftly relinquished such status, while the next recipient – Angel Di Maria – lasted just a solitary season before departing the club for Paris Saint-Germain.

Memphis Depay, meanwhile, scored just seven times in 53 games before being shown the door by Jose Mourinho, while Alexis Sanchez could only fire home five times in 45 games, during his miserable £400k-per-week stint at the club.

Fellow South American star Edinson Cavani enjoyed a promising first campaign as the no.7 with 17 goals in all competitions, before the decision was made to hand the returning Ronaldo the honour instead, for the 2021/22 campaign.

The Portuguese goal machine’s homecoming ultimately proved short-lived, amid his explosive exit under Erik ten Hag, with Mount later taking on the honour following his 2023 summer arrival from Chelsea.

Man Utd No.7’s since 2009

Player

Games

G (A)

Michael Owen

52

17 (3)

Antonio Valencia*

40

1 (6)

Angel Di Maria

32

4 (11)

Memphis Depay

53

7 (5)

Alexis Sanchez

45

5 (9)

Edinson Cavani**

39

17 (6)

Cristiano Ronaldo

54

27 (5)

Mason Mount

53

5 (2)

*just in 2012/13 season

**just in 2020/21 season

Stats via Transfermarkt

All in all, the jersey has been an albatross around the neck for a succession of high-profile figures, with United now needing to look inwards to find a rightful holder again.

Why Bruno Fernandes should be the new number seven

The man who scored the opener against Sunderland last time out, Mount has shown flashes that he can be a go-to figure under Amorim, with the Portuguese coach lauding him as a “proper footballer” amid his arrival at the club just under a year ago.

As already explained, however, the 26-year-old unfortunately can’t be trusted to stay injury-free, making just 53 appearances in all competitions since joining on a £55m deal.

Whether Mount stays or goes next summer, it would be wise for United to consider re-housing the number seven, with ever-reliable skipper, Bruno Fernandes, surely deserving and worthy of such an honour.

Described as a “genius” in the past by Ten Hag, Fernandes has been central to anything and everything good about the club over the past five years or so, recently reaching a milestone of 100 goals from his now 298 appearances.

With a further 86 assists to add into the equation, the 31-year-old has for so long been United’s chief provider and goal-getter, a fact emphasised only last season, as he ended the campaign with 38 goal involvements across all fronts.

Despite flirting with an exit both last summer and during the most recent window – amid interest from Saudi Arabia – the Red Devils skipper has remained intently loyal to the club, seemingly relishing his talismanic status as the central figure in the side.

Right from the off, the ex-Sporting CP man has been a game-changer for United, even while those around him might have suffered, with comparisons to that man Cantona having flooded in amid his early impact at Old Trafford.

While the silverware has unfortunately not followed in the degree that it did after the Frenchman’s entrance in 1992, Fernandes is a similarly heroic figure, carrying the responsibility on his back time and again.

Like Cantona, he certainly isn’t perfect – having notably seen red on three occasions in 2024/25 – but the at-times combustible playmaker more than makes up for that with his repeated genius.

Two penalties might have been missed this season, but Fernandes is never one to shy away from the pressure and the limelight, showing all the attributes of a player worthy of joining the likes of Cantona and Ronaldo as the next number seven.

It would perhaps be a brutal act to snatch that status away from Mount, although few could argue against Fernandes being rewarded for such fine service with a richly deserved promotion.

Related Man Utd's "insane" talent is being given the Mainoo treatment by Amorim

It isn’t just Kobbie Mainoo who is being given the cold shoulder by Man Utd by Ruben Amorim.

Posts ByRobbie Walls Oct 11, 2025

Arsenal have posted an incredible record in English football that only Manchester United can claim to have emulated. The Gunners have become famed for their defensive resilience down the years, dating back to First Division title-winning days of George Graham. Those qualities are being embraced in the present, with the north London outfit proving difficult to break down.

Iconic chant: '1-0 to the Arsenal' still a thing

Back in the late 1980s and early 90s, the Gunners prided themselves on an ability to keep clean sheets. The famous terrace chant of “1-0 to the Arsenal” was born, with scorelines of that nature becoming common at Highbury and on the road.

Arsenal have pieced together plenty of iconic teams since then, including the fabled ‘Invincibles’ of 2003-04. They remain the last squad to deliver a Premier League title for the most ambitious of outfits. Mikel Arteta is charged with the task of bringing that barren run to a close.

AdvertisementTitle winners? Arsenal out to shake 'nearly men' tag

The Gunners have gone close across the last three seasons, finishing as runners-up behind Manchester City and Liverpool. The plan is to get over that line in 2025-26 by leaving everybody else trailing in their wake.

A positive start has been made to that quest, with Arteta’s side opening up a four-point lead at the top of the table. Bournemouth and Sunderland are their closest challengers for now, with City six points off the pace and defending champions Liverpool now seven adrift after hitting an uncharacteristic wobble.

Arsenal ensured that their lead at the summit remained intact when edging out London rivals Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium. Eberechi Eze scored the only goal of the game in that contest against his former club. At the other end of the field, another shutout was secured.

Five successive clean sheets: Arteta reacts

William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have struck up the most formidable of centre-half partnerships, while David Raya is a Golden Glove-winning goalkeeper. As a unit, they are notoriously difficult to breach.

Arteta told reporters of seeing a fifth successive clean sheet in all competitions picked up against Palace: “I just told the boys that I value more this victory than any other victory this season. Because we knew the difficulty of it, you come after playing every three days, you have a big opportunity as well with the things that happened during this weekend and I knew, you know, we play against a team that in my opinion has been one of the best recently in terms of organisation, how difficult they made it, how frustrated they can make you and the moment that you lose that concentration they will punish you for sure.

“And we have managed to be very stable, playing the game that we have to play. In the first half a bit stuck, we found a way to score the goal in the second one, we attacked better and we were more fluent. But with 1-0 we knew that we had to suffer because it's a team that has to score goals against any other opponent this season, so to keep the clean sheet is very, very important.”

The Gunners have not conceded more than one goal in any competitive fixture this season. That ensures that they are always in with a chance of taking something from any given game. That has been the case for some time.

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GettyArsenal's 100-goal record: How Gunners matched Man Utd

Arsenal have gone 100 consecutive games in all competitions without conceding three goals in a match. They are just the second team in the English league to achieve that, with Manchester United having done likewise between October 2016 and August 2018.

Arsenal conceded on three occasions in a Premier League clash with Luton Town on December 5, 2023, but scored four goals themselves in that fixture and still took all three points. They were also breached on three occasions in a 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat to West Ham on November 1, 2023.

Close to two years have passed since Arsenal were last left that open at the back. That steeliness has helped to keep Arteta’s side in contention for major honours. They now need to work on getting back in the trophy-winning habit.

Arsenal's next three games will be in different competitions, with tangible success being pursued on multiple fronts. They are due to face Brighton in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Wednesday. They will then travel to Burnley in the Premier League, before taking in a Champions League clash with Slavia Praha.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras de Abel Ferreira talvez viva a sua pior fase ofensiva em quase três anos de trabalho do português no Brasil.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Com apenas dois gols nos últimos cinco jogos, a paciência da torcida com a atual formação de ataque parece estar se esgotando.

Foram apenas três partidas nos últimos 22 dias, onde o técnico poderia ter testado trios e opções diferentes para o ataque, mas Abel optou por manter Mayke improvisado na ponta direita e Artur improvisado na esquerda.

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Neste mesmo período, o Verdão cruzou mais de 100 bolas na área sendo que não acertou nem um terço delas. Só na derrota para o Grêmio foram mais de 40 cruzamentos e mais uma vez um índice baixo de acerto.

Está mais do que claro que essa atual formação não está funcionando e o técnico terá o seu maior desafio para resolver no setor ofensivo em seus três anos de Brasil.

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O próximo jogo é o mais importante do ano, e o Palmeiras não pode passar por uma semifinal em La Bombonera assim como em 2018, sem dar um chute no gol do Boca Juniors.

Eu iria de Endrick, Rony e Artur, mas ele tem outras opções como Breno Lopes e as crias Kevin e Luís Guilherme. Também daria pra jogar com dois meias e aí Jhon Jhon e Richard Rios poderiam brigar por uma vaga.

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Não sei o que Abel vai fazer, só sei que o campo está mostrando que atual formação é muito inofensiva.

E apontar o dedo nessa ferida não me faz ser um corneteiro e muito menos não confiar no trabalho dele, mas sim alertar para que o Palmeiras volte a ser o o time agressivo que foi nos últimos anos.

+ De olho no Boca, Gustavo Gómez vê falta de eficácia do Palmeiras, mas diz: ‘Merecíamos mais’

Observação final: mesmo com a atual péssima fase do ataque, o Verdão segue sendo o melhor ataque da Libertadores e o terceiro melhor ataque do Brasileirão…

India’s batting collapsed second time in the match, as they lost 6 for 31 to be bowled out for 364

Vithushan Ehantharajah23-Jun-2025

KL Rahul gets a hug from Rishabh Pant after completing his century•Getty Images

England will need 371 to win the first Test at Headingley after India were dismissed for 364 in their second innings late on day four. The hosts will return on Tuesday needing 350 more, after Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett negotiated the first six overs of the chase without alarm to close on 21 for 0.Only once have India lost when defending a total in excess of 350, but that anomaly within a 59-match sequence came on these shores, against a previous iteration of this England side. Three years ago, during the first summer of Baz and Ben, England broke their own record for a chase, scything down 378 for the loss of just three wickets at Edgbaston.If successful, the effort at Headingley would be their second highest. But India should have asked more from their opponents. Fine centuries from KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant – his second in the match – bossed England for most of the day. But upon Rahul’s dismissal for 137 after Pant had earlier made 118 – his fourth century in England, equalling the record for the most by a wicketkeeper in the country – a familiar collapse ensued.Having managed just 24 between the last five wickets on day two, the last six on day four managed just 31. From 333 for 4, India were 364 all out in 71 balls, with four balls in succession from Josh Tongue that accounted for three wickets as he lived up to his nickname “The Mop” for a knack of cleaning up lower orders. Having removed Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Siraj back-to-back, Tongue knocked out Jasprit Bumrah’s middle stump. Just as he did in the first innings, a previously wicketless set of figures was polished by India’s lower order, thus eventually finishing with 3 for 72.Yet again, India failed to take an England win out of the equation, and perhaps most frustrating will be the fact that Rahul and Pant had done all the hard work. Their different approaches to the job at hand were reflected in the 202 and 130 deliveries, respectively, they took to reach three figures. A stand of 195 for the fourth wicket began after skipper Shubman Gill failed to effectively ride the bounce of a steepling ball from Brydon Carse that seamed into the right-hander, and was played on to the base of his own off stump.It was a typical Rishabh Pant century which included 15 fours and three sixes•Getty ImagesWith Carse on song and Chris Woakes enjoying the favourable conditions following short morning showers prior to the 11am start, India shut up shop, scoring just 63 runs in the first session. The key was just losing the one wicket, though it should have been more.Rahul was given a life on 58 as Harry Brook, the beneficiary of three lives in his innings of 99, repaid the favour with a drop at gully when Rahul attempted a second consecutive guide to the deep-third boundary off Tongue. And though Pant was not offered a similar gift, he did push his luck with an unnecessarily chaotic start to his innings.The left-hander charged Woakes and skewed over the cordon off his second ball. He had done exactly the same to get off the mark on his way to 134 in the first innings – advancing at Ben Stokes second ball – but had made far better contact then. Pant then moved to 15 with a mow across the line for a fortuitous boundary down to fine leg that had Shoaib Bashir interested. Three deliveries later, he was subject to a voracious lbw appeal attempting his patented fall-away ramp.Umpire Paul Reiffel gave it not out, and England’s review proved him right, with an inside edge. But it was enough of a warning for Pant to control himself a little more. His next 16 runs came from 36 deliveries, as he and Rahul managed to get to the break with their stand intact on 61.Joe Root consoles Harry Brook after he dropped KL Rahul on 55•AFP/Getty ImagesRahul calmed Pant down, who himself knew he was taking things a little too far. What followed was a far more composed and an impressively devastating afternoon from India, as both batters dragged England all over the field and left Stokes unsure who to turn to at certain points.Rahul was his usual serene self on the drive, unwilling to miss out on anything drivable – particularly as the pitch was starting to show uneven bounce. He wore three blows to the top hand, but used it strongly to push a two through the covers to move to his eighth overseas century. It was his sixth outside of Asia as an opener, with only Sunil Gavaskar ahead of him (15).Pant’s celebration was similarly subdued by his own standards, remaining upright this time but promising Gavaskar, who was there in the stands, the first innings front-flip would make another appearance soon. His record suggests there will be indeed a next time. Pant accelerated upon passing fifty, taking 44 off 25 deliveries to move to 95.The journey from there to 100 took 22 balls more, though he made up for lost time by smashing Joe Root for four, six and four in the very next over. An attempt to do the same to Bashir resulted in a catch for Crawley at long-on.Bashir celebrated like he had won the battle, but he really had not given Pant was aiming for the stand in which he had sent Bashir earlier for back-to-back sixes. Both he and Rahul had just started tucking into the rookie offspinner. Karun Nair then reverse swept Bashir for four, taking himself off a pair and moving India’s lead beyond 300.Zak Crawley struck back-to-back fours late on day four•Getty ImagesBy this point, England were naturally keen to slow the game down, and India were not exactly in a hurry. A steady stand of 46 off 77 balls between Rahul and Nair spoke of a lack of real urgency, even if such accumulation at close to four runs an over would work just fine.The issue, though, was how front-loaded the runs are in this visiting batting card. So when Carse got another to lift to remove Rahul – playing on again, this time on to middle stump – and Nair gifted Woakes a return catch (his first dismissal of the match) in the space of 11 deliveries, suddenly the end of the India innings at least was in sight.Up stepped Tongue for his second feasting on rabbit pie, before a bit of cat-and-mouse with the final pair as Ravindra Jadeja looked to protect No.11 Prasidh Krishna. Jadeja was doing a good job, and starting to find boundaries; Tongue was flipped to the stands at deep square leg from outside off, before a bumper was pulled fine for four. Alas, Prasidh, tempted by Bashir, lifted high to Tongue at deep midwicket in the very next over to cap India’s lead at 370.What could have been an awkward 30 minutes for England was anything but, the tension cut by Crawley with back-to-back fours in the fourth over – the second being an airy flash over the slip cordon. There will be plenty more strikes in anger on day five. England, of course, believe they can chase these. Only the weather will prevent them from trying.

يستعد فريق برشلونة لمواجهة في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، بعدما خاض مباراة مساء اليوم الأحد أمام إلتشي في بطولة الدوري الإسباني “الليجا”.

واستقبل برشلونة خصمه إلتشي على ملعب “مونتجويك” في إطار مباريات الجولة الحادية عشر للدوري الإسباني موسم 2025-2026.

وتمكن فريق برشلونة من تحقيق الفوز على حساب إلتشي بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف، وسجل له لامين يامال، فيران توريس، وماركوس راشفورد.

وأصبح رصيد برشلونة 25 نقطة في المركز الثاني خلف المتصدر ريال مدريد والذي يملك 30 نقطة.

ويخوض برشلونة مباراته القادمة في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، ضمن مباريات مرحلة الدوري، ويلاقي نظيره كلوب بروج. موعد مباراة برشلونة وكلوب بروج

تقام المباراة يوم الأربعاء المقبل الموافق 5 نوفمبر الجاري، وتنطلق في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

Looking to wager on the Major League Baseball action on Sunday?

Well, we have all 30 MLB teams in action with the first game starting at 11:35 a.m. EST between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves and the final game coming on Sunday Night Baseball between the Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles.

There are several ways to bet on these matchups, but I’ve narrowed it down to my favorite three bets across this 15-game slate. Let’s break them down!

MLB Best Bets TodayMilwaukee Brewers Moneyline (-180) vs. Chicago CubsGarrett Crochet OVER 17.5 Outs Recorded (-160)San Diego Padres Moneyline (+102) vs. Boston Red Sox

Milwaukee Brewers Moneyline (-180) vs. Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are an automatic fade when Kyle Hendricks is on the mound this season. 

The veteran has a brutal 6.87 ERA, and the Cubs are 3-11 straight up in his 14 outings. He’s pitched better this month, but three of those outings have come out of the bullpen. When Hendricks starts, his ERA is 8.10 and he has a 1.61 WHIP. 

Meanwhile, the Brewers are 11-5 when ace Freddy Peralta is on the mound and he's posted a much better 4.03 ERA and 3.53 FIP this season. Peralta has not beaten the Cubs in two starts against them, but he should outduel Hendricks on Sunday. 

Garrett Crochet OVER 17.5 Outs Recorded (-160)

Lefty Garrett Crochet has been terrific in 2024, posting a 3.05 ERA, 2.54 FIP and leading the lowly Chicago White Sox to a 7-10 record in his 17 starts – shocking since the White Sox have just 24 wins all season. 

Crochet has a favorable matchup against the 27-win Colorado Rockies, and I think he can get through six innings on Sunday.

Over his last seven outings, Crochet has cleared 17.5 outs six times, finishing with exactly 17 in his last outing. Colorado shouldn’t score enough to chase Crochet from this game early, and Chicago has let him clear 100 pitches in two outings already this month. 

I expect to see six plus innings – and likely a quality start – from Chicago’s ace on Sunday. 

San Diego Padres Moneyline (+102) vs. Boston Red Sox

Since May 17, San Diego Padres knuckleballer Matt Waldron has been lights out.

Over the course of eight starts, he has a 1.80 ERA and has led the Padres to a 6-2 record. Now, he gets a shot against Josh Winckowski, who has been mainly working out of the bullpen for Boston this season. Can Boston piece together enough for a win?

I’m not sold on it, especially if Waldron shuts them down early. Given the Padres record when the knuckleballer pitches, they're worth a shot as underdogs.

Arsenal have become a far smarter club when it comes to the transfer market over recent years.

Mikel Arteta and Co have overseen a host of incredible additions to the squad that have turned them from a mid-table side into consistent Premier League and Champions League contenders.

Yet, the North Londoners lag behind their rivals when it comes to the selling side of transfers.

However, at least they don’t lose future stars for nothing anymore, like they did with a current world-class talent who is playing as well as Bukayo Saka.

Youngsters Arsenal released too soon

As with all big clubs, there are a number of international superstars that Arsenal let go as youngsters, only to regret that decision later.

However, unlike a lot of other clubs, they have gone on to re-sign one of them in a statement deal: Eberechi Eze.

The club released the summer arrival as a teenager and after spending time with Fulham, Reading and Millwall’s academies, he’d finally get a professional contract with QPR, where he’d be spotted and signed by Crystal Palace in the summer of 2020.

During his time south of the river, the Greenwich-born dynamo would rack up a brilliant haul of 40 goals and 28 assists in 169 appearances, which was enough to convince his former side to bring him home.

Another player who came back to North London after being released by Arsenal, although to the wrong side, is Harry Kane.

Released after just one season with the Gunners, the young Englishman would go on to join Tottenham Hotspur a few years later, and by the time he left the capital, he had scored 280 goals and provided 63 assists in 435 games.

The England captain is now tearing it up for Bayern Munich, and he’s not the only former Arsenal prospect doing so.

The former Arsenal youngster now looking like another Saka

There are actually two former Arsenal gems plying their trade for Bayern alongside Kane, and one of them is, of course, Serge Gnabry.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

However, while getting rid of the German international was a mistake, the Gunners did at least get a fee for him, which they did not for Michael Olise.

Yes, before spending time in the academies of Chelsea, Manchester City, and Reading, the dynamic youngster spent a short period at the famous Hale End of the North Londoners, before leaving for nothing.

It was during his time with Reading that Crystal Palace spotted him, and in 2021 he earned an £8m move to the South London side.

During his three seasons with the Eagles, the French international scored 16 goals and provided 25 assists in 90 appearances, which caught the attention of Bayern, who agreed to pay £50m for him last summer.

Now, when we say that the 23-year-old is playing ‘like Saka’, we don’t necessarily mean in playstyle, but more in how important he is to his team from an output perspective.

For example, despite missing almost four months of action last year, the Englishman still racked up 26 goal involvements in just 37 appearances for Arteta’s side.

Olise’s Bayern Record
Appearances	62
Minutes	4410′
Goals	24
Assists	26
Goal Involvements per Match	0.80
Minutes per Goal Involvements	88.2′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

In comparison, the former Eagles star scored a staggering 20 goals and provided 23 assists in 55 appearances, totalling 3842 minutes.

In other words, he averaged a goal involvement every 1.27 games, or every 89.34 minutes, and as he’s already racked up seven goal involvements in seven games this season, it would be fair to say Oliver Glasner has been proven more than right when he claimed the Frenchman was “one of the best talents in the world.”

Ultimately, Arsenal have a brilliant team this year, but just imagine how dangerous they’d be with Saka and Olise in the squad.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 22, 2025